Clarens

Looking towards St Fort Farm from Mushroom Rock Hiking Trail High Point of View

CLARENS: Things To Do, Eat, Shop, and Stay – Your Complete Guide

Avatar for Shaun DouglasShaun Douglas
Forget everything you think you know about small-town South Africa. Clarens is where dramatic golden sandstone meets world-class art, where adrenaline-pumping rapids flow year-round, and where you can hike ancient caves in the morning and dine at Michelin-quality restaurants by night. This is the Free State's best-kept secret—and it's time you discovered why. ... Continue Reading
Overhanging cave on the Mount Perazim hiking trail at St Fort Farm, Clarens

A St. FORT FARM Hiking Adventure: I Slept in a Cave on This Clarens Hike (SHOCKING)

Avatar for Shaun DouglasShaun Douglas
Last updated: 24.11.2025 - Twenty-four hours before a four-day hiking adventure, my knee was screaming, and my pharmacist delivered the ultimatum: "If it's not better by morning, your weekend isn't happening." But when you've got 350 kilometers between you and an overhanging cave in the Free State mountains, sometimes you bet on yourself even when the odds aren't great. What followed was a test of bad knees, worse organization, and whether sleeping on a mattress hauled up a mountain could actually restore your soul—or just remind you how much you take hot running water for granted. ... Continue Reading